Just a place to talk about San Francisco Bay Area and Central California Coast weather.....

A mostly 'Mediterranean' climate moderated by cool Pacific Ocean temperatures (50's) with an extremely challenging mix of terrains and micro-climates.

Is there an "East-Coast" bias when it comes to weather (not unlike in Sports) because the weather can be more 'dramatic' and well-publicized on the East Coast. Californians know that despite long periods of "boring" weather that the weather is unique. Changes in temperature and precipitation amounts can vary widely in the space of just a few miles with all of the mountains, valleys, and the waterways of the Bay and Delta.

Here is a space to talk of local weather, forecasts, and information about the San Francisco Bay Area.

This post has been edited by idecline: May 27 2014, 08:35 AM

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

Temperatures have been very mild with some 70's in the Salinas Valley and Big Sur areas. Monterey and Santa Cruz have warm with a slight offshore wind component keeping the fog at bay and allowing temps to rise into the mid to upper 60's. The Bay Area inland is suffering through an infiltration of the dreaded 'Tule' fog, a dense ground fog that forms in the central valley of California in the winter-time. This is keeping many areas foggy late into the mornings with low afternoon highs in the 40's and 50's.

The satellite photo shows continued clear for at least a couple of days, with continued warm to hot weather in southern California, a typical mid-January La Nina year warm spell.Further out past the IDL it appears that a large storm is progressing towards the west coast, the models and forecasts are not yet in agreement to the forecast for our next chance of rain.

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

This weekend has been exceptionally mild for the first weekend of February....record highs have been broken throughout the SF Bay Area and in the Monterey Bay also.

80's were seen in Santa Rosa, Napa, and high 70's throughout the area on Saturday and Sunday.

The off-shore breezes were very unusual on Saturday night, the temperatures stayed in the 60's all night in many locations!

Looking at the National map temperatures for this week, it looks like much of the country will have lows below 32F and many will be below zero...our records are ending and cooler (50's) weather is ahead.

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

The winds were very strong all over the Bay Area today, gusts of 50-60 mph were reported on the higher peaks around the bay. Many areas had sustained winds of 25-30 mph with gusts even higher.

The jet stream was digging right along the coast on Monday and brought rain and very strong winds to areas in Southern California also. As of early am on Tuesday we are getting a light mist in some areas with the winds finally slackening from the big gradient (big through moving South and East) from earlier today.

With the storms still forming in the Gulf Of Alaska and a somewhat Westerly storm track it appears that the Bay Area will have partly cloudy weather, with some clearing on Tuesday. Another weaker system may graze the Northern half of the state on Thursday, and a potentially more vigorous storm may impact Northern and Central California by Saturday night....

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

Well...we had our usual short-lived early spring warm-up, temperatures were approaching 80F on both Wednesday and Thursday of last week. The Bay Area had several places in the high to mid 80's mostly in the North Bay, areas like Santa Rosa and Napa were quite warm. But as usual an onshore wind came up wiping away the heat, and the edge of a cold front brought breezier cooler days.

Now we are expecting a cold front to come down from the Gulf Of Alaska and join up with some moist air off the coast of California and bring a surprisingly cold, strong storm into the area on Thursday and Friday. The ensembles often seem to over-estimate the actual cold air aloft that will filter down over the state, but this year has been the year of exceptions and exceptional storms. If the low tracks well offshore then the moisture feed should be adequate for decent rain in the Northern 2/3 of the state with blustery showery conditions South of Santa Barbara and Bakersfield areas. Snow levels are predicted to lower into the 2500ft range as the cold air aloft rushes down the coast following an active jet stream.

What an end to the major portion of the rainy season in California this storm may provide.The snow pack in the Sierras is well above average for this time of year and more snow would only add to the surplus and help fend off any lingering doubts about water restrictions in most areas.

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

Haven't been posting in 'weather' side very often...maybe it is safer over here...

Santa Cruz, CA.......

Rained on Sunday night, now the second round of rain is being spun thru Northern California by a very vigorous upper air disturbance. This storm is more reminiscent of a March storm than a late-May storm.The onshore push of wind and clouds has a lot of spin in the atmosphere with gusty winds and occasional downpours.

Speaking of coffee....I wish I had a nice mug of Sumatra coffee in front of me right now...the work coffee is insipid...living in Santa Cruz, or San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, or any 'coffee' town really makes your taste for good coffee even more refined.....a night like this requires a steaming mug of drip coffee and your choice of freshly baked pastry.

Enough commercial messages......

Will try to post more often...just to blab about the weather.....now...discuss amongst yourselves

I'm getting verklempt.....

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

The weather in the SF Bay Area was very windy and mild, inland valleys warmed into the low 70's with coastal regions in the low 60's...onshore push is back...!

Tonight at 1:30 PDT a small upper air spin is headed towards the Bay Area...it should enhance the onshore winds which were already gusting in the hills and gaps of the coastal range...from viewing AccuWx's satellite(IR) loop it looks like this small disturbance could wring out a few raindrops or at least a steady drizzle in the early morning hours...

Expect mild temperatures in the 60-70's for Monday and lots of different cloud decks with the upper air energy sending a 'front' through the Bay Area....fog may linger in some areas late into the day..

Now: for some "Coffee Talk" - drove from Santa Cruz to Berkeley Sunday morning and had breakfast...the restaurant had great coffee...the most vital part of a good breakfast....so many places offer weak watery coffee...this was rich, smooth, like butter.....

*gasping for air*....I'm getting verklempt....

Tiny Upper Air disturbance approaches Bay Area.........discuss.......

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

Foggy....winds are light and variable....The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk will be very busy this Memorial Day weekend....

The real question is : What will the weather be like this weekend?

Well...it has been an unusual May so far, and another low is digging South with the jet stream and could push rain into the Bay Area on Wednesday...with the showers extending down to the Salinas Valley where rain is probably not appreciated by farmers this late into 'Spring'.

Moreover..some are giving a chance of showers on Saturday...but it may well be in the 70's along the Coast on Friday and perhaps Sunday and Monday...Saturday seems to be the day of more onshore breezes and a slight possibility of rain...With it being May the weekend is not yet firmly forecast.....this first trough seems to be digging South more vigorously than some do in May and the last storm last weekend left generous amounts of rain in the Santa Cruz Mountains...

Well....Weather or not...the beaches and tourist attractions of the Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz area will be packed with tourists and locals alike......The Boardwalk will be open everyday starting Friday May 27...so the activity will continue as Summer approaches.....

"Coffee Talk"- Santa Cruz has a long history of gourmet coffee..just like many towns along the Pacific Coast...something about a foggy morning (Or entire day) that makes a 'heavier' cup of coffee so satisfying..single origin coffees, especially dark roasts seem to cut through the dampness as the sun begins to burn away the fog in the sky and in your mind....a plethora of Coffeehouses wait to greet you along the Central Coast...whether in Santa Cruz, Monterey, Big Sur, Capitola, or hidden somewhere along the Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1).

Santa Cruz, CA....It is still unseasonable cool along the Central CA Coast....Today the onshore push was strong with gusty cool winds coming in off of the Pacific. Tonight a trough is digging South and we are starting to cloud up. It is already raining in far Northern California and the Bay Area will get showers by morning.It is amazing to see these fronts dig so far South in late May....this low is decently supported with upper air energy and spin in the atmosphere. We should see showery conditions all day Tuesday and again on Wednesday, by Saturday a stronger (winter-time!) front will be pushing in from the Gulf of Alaska....if the upper air temperature forecasts are right then there may be snow (!) levels as low as 4,000 ft in the greater Bay Area and Northern California..These storms seem to be coming further South than usual with no persistent ridge developing offshore. It seems as if we are on the Oregon Coast in late-May/early June and Southern California is getting 'our' weather. A bit of a subtropical push is also trying to get its act together and may feed the moisture in to give showers as far South as Santa Maria or even Santa Barbara....the weekend storm may bring rain and cooler conditions all the way to the LA basin...this is shaping up to be an unusual and perhaps exciting Spring with these 'unusual' weather patterns.Unfortunately... these storms will continue to bring instability to the Mid-West and the chance for even more severe outbreaks next week ...

"Coffee Talk"- The great thing about this weather is that it is still 'coffee season'....no phony iced lattes and Crappuccinos ...just hot, plain old drip coffee made by the cup. So grab a book, go to your local coffeehouse and prepare to feel like it is March....the June gloom will be here soonenough, and then there will nothing to talk about except that the Coast is 'too cool' and the inland valleys are 'too hot'.Where the heck is the 'Goldilocks' weather----"Just right"!

So much for the Memorial Day weekend...the 'un-offical' beginning of Summer is starting ...even if the weather is not cooperating.....

Californians......excited by the weather (rain and winter storms) .....then bored by the 'auto-pilot' pattern of Spring...fog along the Coast and warmer in inland valleys.. about 5-10 degrees higher as you go a little further from the ocean influence....until you get to the 'Big Valley' where 100's are common all summer long...not to mention the inland empire and deserts where 110's are not uncommon....

All of this weather talk is wearing me out...I'm done...go talk amongst yourselves...

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

We have had clear days, albeit windy, for the last several days, with warming expected early next week.

So far the marine layer has been keeping the coast cool and the inland valleys have yet to start heating up....Santa Cruz has been in the low to mid 60's...with the low 70's dominating the interior.Very pleasant and mild weather...but we are still below normal in almost all the Bay Area...

June is usually the month of what we call "June Gloom"...where the coast stays socked in with fog most of the morning and clears back to the coast or just offshore by early afternoon....But with interior valleys yet to get very warm the onshore push of clouds has not been as dramatic as it can become this time of year...the cooler inland temps are not forcing the marine layer to be as deep or persistent as it can be in June..

Usually the coastal push has a 3-4 day 'cycle' where the fog rolls in heavily cooling the Bay Area.. and sometimes even all the way to the Sacramento Delta...then it recedes back to the coast until 2 or 3 days of much warmer inland temperatures draw the cooling air back inland...this is our typical California 'maritime' climate...where the westerlies wind blow across the cool Pacific waters keeping the coast cool to mild and not letting the inland valleys get too hot....yet....

The middle of next week looks like we may start to see a return to more 'normal' daytime highs with the coast in the 60's and interior valleys in the 70's and maybe low 80's...

'Summer' time activities are really ramping up in Santa Cruz now...the Boardwalk is open every day until Labor Day...so many flock to the beaches and make daytrips to the coast to get away from warmer climes.

"Coffee Talk"- Had to work in Monterey today... it is interesting how much cooler the Southern portion of the Monterey Bay is compared to Santa Cruz...The NW winds blow the fog directly onshore of the Monterey peninsula keeping the fog and winds fresh sometimes all day...very San Francisco- like...whereas Santa Cruz beaches face South to Southwest so the clearing begins earlier and we often hover around 68F to 70F in June...while Monterey and Carmel are in the low 60's...

Coffee shops do a brisk business along the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) ...Hwy 1...Many display local art or have musicians play at times...the fog allows a nice hot cuppa joe in the morning segueing to a cool beverage in the afternoon...many students, locals, and tourists while away the day reading, using computers, or just passing time at a local 'hangout'... while enjoying the cool mornings and pleasant afternoons...Coffee shops are a part of many peoples social routine, and a relaxing way to spend an afternoon ...just enjoying the sounds, smells, and sights along the Pacific Coast...

Drip coffee vs French Press......no.... I am not talking about the 'media' in France either....

Drip coffee is a favorite in Santa Cruz...one of the local roasters ..Santa Cruz Roasting Company...pioneered selling fresh brewed coffee made to order by the cup....a large scoop of the coffee of your choice was put in a cone filter to pour directly into the customers cup as you watch...never a stale or 'burned' tasting cup this way...You chose the variety of the coffee and it was drip brewed in front of you...nothing better than getting it 'your' way...instead of insipid 'house' blends that were brewed hours ago..We have high standards and expectations of our 'drink of choice'...and most places try to meet that demand...if not there is always McD's, JackBox's, or (Horrors) Stardollars for the naive or tourists with 'weak' coffee habits...

So there is something for everyone.....I'm am getting a bit teary-eyed and being that it is 1:15 in the morning....I need a cuppa Joe...time to make a drip cup of my personal brew...Peet's Sumatra...one of the best Bay Area 'chain' coofeehouses and roasters...their shops were the 'models' for Starbocks modernization (and later 'deconstruction') of the idea of a coffeeshop...now the high-tech hospital-like feel of a Starbecks make the true connoisseur flee the sterile confines of the "White Whale' of coffee.

Discussion.....QueeQueg vs. Captain Ahab.......Would Decaf made a difference.....and the socio-economic parameters of a Coffee-based workforce........Discuss...

So long for now until some interesting weather comes along....who knows in California ...it could be September before the coastal fog decides to take a vacation......

At least there's always Tony Bennett and the "morning fog may chill the air....I don't care..."

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

The Bay Area is definitely headed for a big warm-up.....it looks like Summer is arriving right on time....

Whenever we have clear nights along the coast in June...it usually means off-shore winds are gearing up to heat up the interior of the state and push that warmer air all the way to the coast. The fog receded away from the beaches on Sunday and it warmed up nicely...with clear skies tonight I am expecting the high 70's may be prevalent along the coast on Monday....that means the interior Bay regions will reach into the 80's and further inland towards the Sacramento Delta will climb into the high 80's and low 90's...more typical Summer temperatures.It seems absurd that those type of temperatures seem 'hot'...but most of the Bay Area has been cool this Spring with the late rains and a cooler than normal pattern...The fronts dropping down from the NW have been stirring up our atmosphere and giving windy, mild weather to most of California. Heat waves are usually the norm for our Summer months...with the Coast being the usual exception...our heat waves are in the late Summer and early Fall when off-shore breezes are pushing towards the coast from the hot inland areas.

Hopefully this will give a big kick-start to the prime Summer season coming up...with the 4th of July quickly approaching..everyone is gearing up for outdoor activities...an early warm-up will help everyone to acclimatize to the temperatures that we should have been having already for the last few weeks.

We will see if Tuesday will be as wrm along the Coast but I expect inland temperatures to peak early on Tuesday with the marine influence capping the coastal and Bay Area temperatures by early afternoon...farther inland should remain warm..but temperatures will moderate by mid-week to near normals...

"Coffee Talk"-

Father's Day is always a special day...many peoples fondest memories of their Dad are of outdoor activities in the heat of Summer.

I hope everyone had a great day...and maybe shared a strong cup of coffee (or other libation) with their Dad ( or in their memory *sigh*).I still remember my Dad sitting at the kitchen table drinking his morning coffee and reading the newspaper...as early as 5am sometimes...(I discovered this by mistakenly coming home at about 4:50 am one morning...he didn't say a word about it either...I was 18 or so....)

Dads......just thinking about it is making me get misty-eyed....Can't breathe.....I'm getting verklempt..

The 4th of July weekend is quickly approaching....people are scurrying about to make their plans for the holiday..

For many it will be the 'big' weekend of the summer...bar-b-ques, swimming, camping, sight-seeing, going to theme parks, the beach, mountains, or wherever families like to gather.

In the Bay Area we have not had much 'Summer' weather to deal with yet...Yes the coast is foggy and the marine influence has been strong...but the usual large high pressure sitting off-shore has not set up yet this season. Another storm is lurking in the Gulf of Alaska and wants to ruin any chance of a hot spell for the 4th of July weekend.....

We had two hot days last week....we were 82F on Tuesday and 77F on Wednesday of last week here in Santa Cruz...but that was quickly squelched by a persistent marine layer....now the inland valleys are cooler also....with possible showers Tuesday or Wednesday...

So get out there and enjoy the 4th...but be safe and sane...fireworks start fires.....be extremely careful if you must do your own pyrotechnics display...and obey local laws....too many people are hurt or property is damaged all in the name of 'fun'. Many towns and cities put on fireworks displays that will thrill the family without endangering the children or Dad in their attempts to see 'the rocket's red glare'.

Remember we are celebrating this great country's birthday...we are not just 'blowing stuff up'.....

Keep alcohol intake to a sensible level or end up on U-Tube or 'stupid people' videos.......all in all respect your neighbors, family, and fellow Americans of all races, religions, creeds, and orientations...

We must remember what makes America great, and one big item is 'tolerance'....we all can get along...

Happy 4th of July to everyone.....Make America proud......

"Coffee Talk"-

Well this lousy June Gloom weather has coffee still on top of the 'drink' charts on the Central Coast..I am sure that the 4th of July will have 'beer' moving to the top of the heap...but coffee is the drink of the "Industrial" age....before coffee...we were in the 'Inebriated' age where productivity and common sense were often absent....don't let the lure of intoxication wreck your vacation....be safe and 'sane'...

Discuss- Coffee's role in the advancement of productivity vs. alcohol's role in making man 'regress'...

I am getting a little misty-eyed...either from smoke from fireworks ....or the dumbing down of Americans...

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR INLAND PORTIONS OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA AND INLAND PORTIONS OF THE MONTEREY BAY AREA.

* TEMPERATURES: HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY ARE FORECAST TO RANGE FROM THE 90S TO 105.

* IMPACTS: HEAT EXHAUSTION...AS WELL AS COMPLICATIONS FROM ANY PREEXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY FOR THE ELDERLY AND INFIRM.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THIS HEAT ADVISORY IS PRIMARILY TARGETED AT THE ELDERLY AND VERY YOUNG...AND THE INFIRM...THOSE WHO MIGHT BE MORE SENSITIVE TO HEAT AND THUS AT GREATER RISK. INDIVIDUALS WHO FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL BY DRINKING PLENTY OF WATER AND SEEKING A COOLER LOCATION FOR THE DAY IF NO AIR CONDITIONING IS AVAILABLE IN YOUR LIVING QUARTERS. ALSO...ASK FOR A FRIEND OR RELATIVE TO CHECK ON YOU FREQUENTLY. WEAR LIGHTWEIGHT...LIGHT- COLORED... LOOSE- FITTING CLOTHING. WEAR A HAT TO SHIELD YOURSELF FROM THE SUN. YOUNG CHILDREN AND PETS SHOULD NEVER BE LEFT IN VEHICLES UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES DURING WARM OR HOT WEATHER.

&&

So the weather is hot....I'm melting......although the fog came in with a vengeance Saturday night, the hot weather is expected to continue on Sunday and Monday the 4th.....

Inland valleys will be very hot but at the coast the marine layer will not leave the coast for long....We are 54F and foggy as of 7 am PDT...light winds and dense fog by the beach...

The San Lorenzo Valley will heat up quickly with Felton getting to 92F, Ben Lomond 98F, and Boulder Creek 99F...the redwood trees will be waiting for the cooling fog to return and moisturize their bark with soothing mists.

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

Well...so much for last weeks hot spell...the fog and low clouds are back with a vengeance...It keeps the overnight temperatures quite pleasant (Mid 50's) but the daytime highs on the coast are only in the mid to upper 60's....with 70's around the sf Bay Area...with 80's in the usual 'hot spots'.....

Another trough is digging in along the West Coast and keeping the onshore push of mild air all the way to Southern California...it won't really cool the deserts much...but everywhere is expected to be below normal for the next several days....

Well last weeks 4th of July went off without too many problems...the usual skyrockets and other illegal fireworks were blasting all over the Main beach until about 2am....one of the noisiest nights of the year down by the beaches....and people were out and about 'til the wee hours....

In spite of cool weather, people are still flocking to Santa Cruz for the Boardwalk, sun, and sand.....surfers, volleyball players, and paddleboarders are seen from sun-up 'til sundown....

When coming to NorCal beaches and towns it is best to dress in layers....the temperatures can rise and fall very quickly depending on the direction of the breeze and the extent of the marine layer.....

"Coffee Talk"_ Since it has cooled down...Coffee is back at the top of drink choices around town...the smoothie bars, and juice joints seem to be weather dependent...but coffee shops are always a place to be and be seen in Santa Cruz....nothing better to read a book on the porch of an old Victorian house that is now one of Santa Cruz's favorite coffeehouses..Pergolesi's...a UCSC student hangout...

So if you have a copy of 'Catcher In The Rye' or 'MacBeth', or some existentialist novel in your pocket ..then sit down and impress the locals with your taste in literature while enjoying a coffee drink....

Just thinking of the idealistic days of a college student is making me wistful.......excuse me.....tearing up....

I'm getting verklempt...can't continue....

The difference between American and European writers views on youth and alienation....Discuss!

No more today....my ennui is acting up......

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

Good morning from the beautiful Central Coast of California....Santa Cruz, to be exact....

The sun just rose over the Santa Cruz Mountains...lighting up Loma Prieta and sending shimmering light rays right up Beach St. and the Boardwalk. The rides are shiny with anticipation for another day of thrilling kids and adults with their movements and gyrations. Very unusual to have such a clear morning in July...no fog to be seen anywhere...but he front to our North is scouring out the coastal areas and it could be a very pleasant day. The temperatures will be moderated by the airmass from the North...but clear sunshine is forecast throughout the day. It has been an unpredictable summer so far with only a couple of days in the 80's at the beaches so far.

If this front that is near Eureka in far Northern California continues to big Southward...then the remainder of the week will be unseasonably cool inland...the coast seems to be able to stay right near normal if the fog stays away and the breeze does get too strong in the afternoons.

Long term forecasts are trying to find a heatwave...but until the Southwestern high pressure system slides a little further West..most of the State will have to wait for a few days to get really warm...Fresno and points south are slowly heating up...but Sacramento has been 10-15 degrees below normal (85F instead of 95-100F). The San Francisco Bay Area has been cooler ..especially in the usual hotter inland valleys...

As always dress in layers at the Coast...especially " If you are going to San Francisco"...or you'll end up buying a $50 dollar sweatshirt from some overpriced gift shop....

Well it's almost time to head home for coffee and breakfast, must mention 'coffee' somewhere in my forecast....I almost forgot....This weekend is the Wharf To Wharf run from the Santa Cruz wharf to the wharf in Capitola...kind of like a smaller Bay to Breakers...but thousands will show up to run along the coast between two of the most beautiful coastal towns in California...bands are always playing along the course to encourage the runners...and the community is highly involved in this event. Many world class runners come to this event for the fun and for the cash prizes to the winners.

See you next time and start running in the Wharf to Worf (for you STNG fans)...

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

Okay! Enough of the fog and cool weather....this is what I would call a 'Mark Twain' summer so far.....The coast has been unseasonably cool...even a 70F reading in Santa Cruz has been hard to come by....Sacramento has been 10-15 degrees below normal much of the summer...yet Fresno is starting it's usual 100F run of temperatures..The Pacific has been sending small little impulses Southwards all summer which has kept Seattle and Portland a little wetter and cooler but Northern California is still being affected by these anomalous low pressure systems...

I was in Santa Rosa the last two weeks Wednesday thru Sunday...the overcast was dense and didn't really give way until close to noon almost every day...Pleasantly mild, but it often is in the 90's in 'The Valley of The Moon' during August and September....

We want Summer!.........

"Coffee Talk"~ The good thing about the cool mornings has been for my obsession with coffee...After camping along side the Russian River just West of Santa Rosa...a good cup of 'Joe' in the mornings is just what I need ....I found a Peets Coffee in downtown Santa Rosa and with not much time before work at the Santa Rosa Fair (Sonoma County Fair) I depended on my old standby for an excellent cup of their daily brew...quite often they managed to have Sumatra as the brew of the day when I arrived....so I started my day with one of the best 'single origin' coffees in the World..,Sumatran coffee is unusual in that most of the beans are 'dry' processed..meaning they are not washed in water but cleaned and dried without the little bit of leaching of flavor that water can take ...It is a 'low acid' coffee...for those of you with sensitive stomachs I highly recommend the coffees from the Indonesian area....such as Sumatra...It is a very heavy, thick cup...with overtones of chocolate and spice...an excellent morning cup...especially for the cool type of days we have been having....

I'm back to Santa Rosa on Wednesday...Come out to the Fairgrounds if you are in town and enjoy the wonderful small town, old style fair in the "Wine Country"...plenty of food, exhibits, animals, vendors, the Carnival, and of course, Live Horse Racing...

One of my favorite places to be is watching Horse Racing live at the track...Santa Rosa added a turf course a few years ago..so you can see either dirt or turf racing...just like the 'Big' tracks..and also enjoy what the fair has to offer....

A feeling of joy is welling up in me...a tear is forming...can't talk anymore....I'm getting Verklempt...

The joy of taking the family to an old style County Fair VS. spending megabucks at an 'Amuse'-ment park... Discuss amongst yourselves....gotta run...my one day off this week is Tuesday.....

This post has been edited by idecline: Aug 9 2011, 04:10 AM

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

Well.. idee is finally back from his 3 week mission to the Santa Rosa Fair ( Sonoma County Fair ).

It was an interesting three weeks of work, relaxation, and insane commutes back and forth from Santa Cruz to Santa Rosa. The weather the entire time was cooler than normal..especially in Santa Rosa...which often has highs in the 90's this time of year. The marine influence was present every morning until 10 or 11 o'clock...keeping the highs in the 70's and low 80's at best. Very pleasant conditions all around but much more Spring-like than Summer type conditions.

Idee camped along the Russian River Resort Area in the Town of Guerneville, a beautiful area about 20 minutes West of Santa Rosa. The Russian River is a great area for fishing, camping, kayaking, boating, and swimming. It was interesting to see the mighty Russian River when it is subdued and quiet. Every few winters the Russian River jumps its banks and floods large areas along its banks. A nearby cottage had a chart with an indicator to show how high the river can go above flood stage...the red arrow has been beyond 40ft above flood stage as recently as 6 years ago...El Nino really can raze havoc when it pelts Northern California communities with deluges of winter rains..and this area has a long history of devastating floods. There is a picture at the campground where I stayed showing the entire campground and most of the buildings completely submerged by the raging waters of the Russian River.

Other than that there was little to report...pleasant enough weather...camping...and then working at the Horse Races at the Fair ..

With the cool mornings idee had good reason to search out a good cup of coffee...not much selection in Guerneville...Safeway had it's usual Starsucks..but idee doesn't do them...I tried a couple of local coffeehouse but the quality was poor...the best coffee in town was at an upscale market and deli but it was $3.00 for the large... what is up with that?!

So idee had to suffer and buy a cup in town to wake up until he traveled back to Santa Rosa for the consistently good cup of coffee at Peet's....idee's brand of choice....

Now back in Santa Cruz idee has his pick of several good local places and of course, Peet's in Santa Cruz or Scotts Valley.

Hope to see everyone next year back at the Sonoma County Fair in Wine Country...a beautiful area of California....I will miss my scenic drive up there but not the horrid traffic often encountered in the Bay Area nor the bridges and their respective tolls and other traffic nightmares.

Let's hope we have the late season warm-up on the Coast...and not an early Fall...we need some 'local' weather in September when we often get offshore breezes that heat up the beaches usually after Labor Day...so that 'locals' can enjoy the less crowded beaches in our warmest month...

That's it for now...my eyes are tearing up...(from the Amaryllis 'Pink Lady') which is blooming everywhere this time of year and is a terrible allergen for idee....

It's getting hard to type ,...I'm getting Verklempt.....,

Is Climate Change changing the summer weather and marine influence in California or is it just natural variation..?

Discuss amongst yourselves....later...idecline

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Perception is everything"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there". ~ Lewis Carroll

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" ~ Lao Tzu

Hey! I didn't see this thread earlier... good to see someone talking about California as 99% of the content here is about the Midwest/east. Anyways, I think these variations are due to natural variations in the climate - we've had quite a few summers with hot temperatures earlier, so i think this is natures way of "averaging things out".

As for any warmth, offshore flow is the only hope for the coast. Even today we only reached 71F here in Santa Monica, which is actually average, but still cool considering the 590+DM heights and triple digit heat inland